The CDC's new rules for dog importation are NO JOKE!

Beginning August 1, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has completely changed the requirements for dog importation into the United States.

I spoke with Newton from the CDC and confirmed just how serious these new regulations are about the new dog importation rules.

Even Minister Holland from Canada expressed serious concern over these new rules in a statement he put out yesterday.

Here’s what Minister Holland from Canada has to say regarding these new dog importation rules:

https://www.canada.ca/en/food-inspection-agency/news/2024/07/statement-by-minister-holland-on-the-new-cdc-requirements-for-dogs-entering-the-us-from-canada0.html

The requirements include:

1. All dogs must be at least 6 months of age at time of entry or return to the United States
2. Have an ISO chip implant
3. Appear healthy (no human contagions; isolation, vet exam, additional testing may be required to prove healthfulness)
4. Have a completed CDC dog import form
5. Have an updated rabies vaccine (strict guidelines apply)

Because of the previous debacles in recent years by shelter/rescue groups bringing in foreign dogs for rehome into the U.S. with diseases, I wanted to know if the term “all dogs” in the new ruling really meant “all dogs” or if there were exceptions.

So…

I called the CDC!

And spoke with a very pleasant voice named Newton.

Newton assured me that “all dogs” did indeed mean “all dogs” without exception, including: service dogs, and imported shelter/rescue dogs.

The ONLY exception she could find was a category of dog she called “foreign-backed native service dogs”.

I could not find that term online anywhere, so I am unclear what she means exactly.

I will have to do more research on that in the coming weeks.

I also asked her what prompted this drastic change in dog importation laws (i.e. was there a specific incident that initiated this rule change).

Newton directed me to the CDC’s website for answers to that question.

Wanna read the new rules for yourself?

https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/enter-the-us.html
https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/faqs.html
https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/index.html

This new ruling doesn’t really effect the Dire Wolf Project because we do not IMPORT dogs into the United States.

We do occasionally send our puppies to families in Canada and elsewhere in the world, but so far, the rules for exporting dogs have not changed.

The most impactful part of these new rules from the CDC is the rule that all dogs must be at least 6 months old to enter the country.

And if there are no exceptions, that would seriously impact puppy sales for anyone purchasing their puppies from outside the U.S., such as working German Shepherd Dogs or Belgian Malinois being brought over for military training.

Not to mention all of the show dogs entering the United States needing show training as puppies to compete at a serious level for points toward their championships.

Although, diseases entering our country from foreign street dogs being brought into the United States for rehome through the shelter system will be stopped, which is a very good thing.

You don’t need to worry about these rules if you are purchasing your puppy through the Dire Wolf Project, though, because we are hard-working Americans who deliver your puppy right to your doorstep anywhere in the lower forty-eight states.

Three beautiful American Dirus puppies are for sale OFF THE WAITING LIST.

Here’s the link to view more about them:

https://direwolfdogs.com/dogs-for-sale/puppies/

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.